Lost your job? Out of work? You probably think I'm going to recommend you immediately update your resume and get it distributed as widely as possible. Wrong!

Instead, I recommend you implement this powerful alternative job search strategy and non-traditional career advancement technique ASAP to deal with your out of work status!

Create a new image for yourself. You don't win points by portraying yourself as out of work. Quite the opposite--you want to be perceived as someone who is actively involved in business or other projects. You do that by immediately aligning yourself with a going business.

* Establish yourself as a consultant with a business card that identifies you as a specialist in your particular field of endeavor and avoid any out of work image.

* Or team up with a friend or associate in that person's business where you can temporarily be identified as a representative or assistant (in name only, of course).

* Or establish yourself with a proven volunteer program and get a business card printed that identifies you as such.

The reason for immediately creating a new image that counters your out of work image is twofold:

1. It makes you feel good about yourself. There are few things in life that can be as devastating as losing your job and being out of work. It's scary. It's embarrassing. It's depressing. You need to have an image of yourself that you can be proud of. And especially one that allows you to hold your head up to family and friends. You'll be amazed how a little piece of paper like a business card can make such a difference to you.

2. It allows you to honestly represent yourself to prospective employers--as well as to friends and family--as someone who's on the move and gainfully advancing one's career. People want to know you're OK. They want to perceive you as someone who's on top of the game and can give some evidence of your ability to handle concerns.

As soon as you implement this simple strategy you want to immediately take the next step . . . mobilize your contact bank. This is a list of people you know who can help you in some way to advance your career. Your contacts are friends, relatives, business associates, religious leaders, neighbors.

When they see that you have an identity that avoids an out of work loser image and you have ideas about moving forward with some specific ways they can help you, you won't have time to be depressed about being out of work!